Resources for Lament

This Sunday, we spent time in worship learning about integrating lament into our rhythms of discipleship to Jesus through Psalm 102. It’s a heavy text and some of the subject matter discussed in the sermon was equally as heavy, too. In consideration of and sensitivity to that, we want to put forward some additional materials for you as you learn the language of lament. If you are struggling with mental health issues, addiction, family, or marital struggles, and in need of outside help, this post will contain some links and numbers within our pool of resources to assist you in your journey. 

American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is famously quoted as saying “music is the universal language of mankind.” Allowing song to give tenor to your lament can be a powerful analog, so if you click the link below, you will find a Spotify playlist of songs written by a variety of artists, collectives, and genres to soundtrack your healing processes and complaints before God. 

Lament Playlist 

Lament of the Earth - Marcela Levinská Borecká-Marilion, 2017

Below are emergency contact numbers for you to have on hand if you or someone you know and love is undergoing intense stress and situations that require immediate intervention or longer term care. 

Emergency Contact List 

Suicide Hotline: Call or Text 988, Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Substance Abuse & Addiction Hotline: 1-844-289-0879, Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Ramsey County Human Services: 651-266-4500

Catholic Charities: (612) 204-8500, info@cctwincities.org

Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge: 612-373-3366

• Substance Abuse Recovery InPatient Treatment 

Together for Good, Twin Cities (EFCA): 651-440-4058, info@tfgood.org 

• Emergency Crisis Hosting

• Supportive Respite Care

Counselors & Therapists 

Natalie Hagle - Clinical Social Worker - (320) 613-2836 Email Link for Consultation

Laura Halversen Fregard - Clinical Social Worker - (218) 209-2930 Email Link for Consultation

Jeff Berryhill - Licensed Psychologist - (651) 486-4828 ext.218 jsb@minnesotarenewal.org  

David Hovis - Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist - davidhovis@agapecounselors.org 

Steve Palmer - Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist - https://www.westminstercounseling.org/ 

As a helpful guide to navigating patient portals, forms, and therapist pages, some therapists will take insurance and some won’t. Many will provide a sliding scale that offers lower income patients to still afford therapy, so if you inquire about working with a practitioner, ask if they offer flexibility with that. You can also submit any invoices to your insurance company to see if they will reimburse you. In addition, Trinity City Church also has a benevolence fund that may be able to financially assist with counseling. 

Please feel free to reach out to Pastors Bryan Lair & Bryce Langley if you have any further questions or desire to schedule a meeting:

contact@trinitycitychurch.org 

The Lamentation - Petrus Christus, 1450

Recommended Reading 

Grief & Suffering 

• Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering - Tim Keller

• My Name is Hope - John Mark Comer 

• The Problem of Pain - C.S. Lewis 

Depression, Anxiety & Mental Health 

• Christians Get Depressed Too - David Murray 

• Why I Believe: A Psychologist's Thoughts on Suffering, Miracles, Science, and Faith - Henry Cloud 

• I Love Jesus But I Want to Die: Finding Hope in the Darkness of Depression - Sarah J. Robinson

From Judges to Kings: Psalm 101 Background

Right before Emily (my wife) and I got married in 2018, I was working for a small camping equipment manufacturer sewing and stuffing sleeping bags. This wasn’t my dream job by any means, but working there helped me save money for our wedding, I had decent health insurance, and I got to binge audiobooks, podcasts, and metal music all day long. The benefits were decent and the product we made was kind of cool, but there was a real underbelly to this place. For example, management had a one strike policy that if you were 30 minutes late for any reason without calling into your supervisor you were immediately fired. The founder and owner was notorious for having a fiery temper with people so there was a revolving door of employees on the floor, and it gets even better - we had to literally clock out and time our bathroom breaks! (I’ll take OSHA violations for 500…)

Emily would often visit me over my lunch break and she described the experience as a jail visit with an inmate. On the last day I worked there I waltzed out with an ear to ear grin literally singing out the door with a newfound levity! There were friends of mine from college still working in the administrative wing of the company and as we kept in touch I heard the continuing saga of working for the empire. And it was a lot of the same old for a couple of years until that less than loved owner quit. Now, big surprise, those I know who stuck around for the changing of the guard saw positive changes in the culture and greatly benefited from it. I admittedly thought, wow! That would have been nice while I was there! But looking back on that year of working there, I remember leaving with a few things. I developed these Spiderman-like reflexes from sitting at a sewing machine for 8 hours a day, but most importantly I learned a lot of what NOT to do. Seeing the poor example of executive management made me think about how I would do things differently were I at their desk. I would have wanted so much to think about the regular employee’s working experience and consider the reputation of the company through their eyes. For gosh sakes, I would let people stay clocked in and go to the bathroom! 

Psalm 101 is an entry by King David. He is the most frequent author of the Psalms, and is in a position as the newly crowned King of Israel to chart a new path for national fidelity to the one true God after a long train of abuses and rebellion at the hands of Israel’s previous regime under King Saul. So, this Psalm is David’s leadership manifesto, it's his personal creed that declares what kind of king he wants to be and what kind of people will be in his sphere of influence. I think it’s helpful to give some exposition on events leading up to this psalm, because the transition of power is not quite peaceful and the monarchy has already been plagued by a lot of high level problems that David is inheriting. And it really begins in the book of 1 Samuel when Israel was ruled by judges.

David the Psalmist, Wilhelm Effingbaus. 1884

Judges were God’s hand picked regents who enforced the law of Moses and regulated worship practices at the temple which is where God’s physical presence dwelt at its very center. If you read Judges it’s like the Jerry Springer Show meets Game of Thrones… it’s wild, explicit, and no one really has a happy ending. So as Israel eyes all the neighboring pagan empires encroaching on them, the nation goes to Samuel who is one of the only good Judges in this whole epic of their history, and says ‘give us a king to lead us like all the other nations do.’ Here’s 1 Samuel chapter 8:4-9: 

So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights (NIV).

Imagine Samuel bringing this before God with the tenor of “You’re NOT gonna believe what they want now.” God’s response to Samuel is telling in verse 8, “they have done this from the day I brought them out of Egypt, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.” Keep in mind that’s about a 400 year timeline from the Exodus to this moment in 1 Samuel. I can admittedly feel exasperated with a young toddler after 4 minutes. Could you imagine the exceeding patience of God for 400 years?! God goes on to explicate why this is a really bad idea in chapter 8. The king will take advantage of the people, unreasonably tax them, seize their crops, their herds, and property for his own - that’s just to name a few. So Samuel comes back with this message from God, pleads with Israel, and here’s their response. 1 Samuel 8:19-22:

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king (NIV).

There’s a repeated pattern throughout the Bible of what happens when sin runs so rampant, when it has so thoroughly corrupted a people and repentance is nowhere to be found God hands them over to the consequences of their sins. We read about that in our last series on the pastoral Epistles with Hymenaeus and Alexander being excommunicated from the church in Ephesus (1Tim.1:20) and its happening here. This is not like a tired parent who says, fine, have another cookie if you just leave me alone. Rather God conceding to their wishes is a deliberate choice to give Israel over to their desires… Cool, if it's a king you want, you got it. Israel thinks they just successfully bartered with God, but Samuel made it clear this is only the beginning of their struggles with central leadership. So, in comes Saul, who is the inaugural king in Israel’s brand new monarchy. He’s this burly warrior bro from the tribe of Benjamin that was known for producing strong soldiers (Mackie & Sullivan, 2017). And his reign begins fine after some key military victories that Israel was wanting, but over time the prophecy delivered from Samuel to the nation comes to fruition. Saul begins to disregard Samuel’s prophetic warnings, he directly disobeys God, and then Saul literally goes crazy (1 Sam. 15, 18-19). But in the wings of Saul’s descent into madness is an unassuming shepherd boy named David. 

If you flip forward in 1 Samuel to chapter 16, Samuel is told by God to go look for the next king and doesn’t expect David to be the prime candidate. After his arrival to Jesse’s homestead on divine appointment (imagine that knock to your front door and the fed says ‘hey one of your kids is gonna be POTUS’) Samuel examines all the eligible sons for the crown... but God passes over them all. A bit perplexed, Samuel asks Jesse if there are any more sons. Jesse responds with yes, I have the youngest son, he’s out tending the sheep (1 Sam. 16:11). Frankly the English translation doesn’t do enough justice for what is happening here, because the Hebrew word for ‘youngest’ in 1 Samuel 16 verse 11, Ha-katan הקטן doesn't mean youngest in birth order… Ha-katan means unworthy, insignificant, or worthless (Kohlenberger III, 2002). 

Jesse is telling Samuel he has an unworthy son, an insignificant son, a worthless son. Imagine if you were introduced by your parents or if you were put in front of a review board for a promotion, or someone submits a character reference for you and it describes you as Ha-katan. It would tear you apart from the inside. You would feel slighted, lack confidence, and be deflated. But here’s where we read something that maybe a lot of you who have grown up in and around Christianity have heard before. 1 Samuel 16:7: 

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (NIV).

You may think you don’t have anything to contribute to your friend group, to your job, your school, or even to your church. Perhaps you feel bereft of talent and don’t come from any great stock. But here’s good news for you. God’s greatest priority is not the grandeur of your appearance, but the availability of your heart. David’s posture comparatively nimble to that of Saul, but his heart was oriented true north to YHWH. We see this example set in Jesus Himself who called the most ordinary of people to His side as an inner circle and elevated the outcast to royalty in His kingdom - telling blue collared fishermen to drop their nets (Mk.1:16-20) and assuring a Samaritan woman that whoever drinks from Him will never thirst again (Jn 4:13-14). Considering David’s pedigree, there’s a significant moment in Luke’s Gospel that tethers King David to the better and perfect King Jesus. 

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”  Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God (Luke 18:35-43, NIV).

Here is a final reflection from Warren Wiersbe’s commentary that beautifully summarizes Psalm 101 and traces the redemptive threads of David to Jesus Christ. 

Was David successful in maintaining the high standard of this declaration? No, not completely; but what leader besides Jesus Christ has ever maintained an unblemished record? David failed in his own family… He had problems with his generals and his trusted counselor betrayed him. But David reigned for 40 years, during which he wrote the psalms and established the dynasty that eventually brought Jesus Christ into the world. Like us, he had his weaknesses and failings, but over all, he sought to honor the Lord and be a good leader. Jerusalem is known as “the city of David” and Jesus as “the son of David.” Could any compliment be higher than that?

Beuronese Nativity, Jesus, Son of David, Nicholas Markell. 2018

Sources:

Eames, C (2017). David: The True Story of History’s Most Extraordinary King. The Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology. https://armstronginstitute.org/25-david-the-true-story-of-historys-most-legendary-king

Holy Bible, New International Version. (2015). BibleGateway. (Original work published 1996). https://www.biblegateway.com/ 

Kohlenberger III, J.R. (2002). The strongest strong's exhaustive concordance of the bible larger print edition: The most accurate and complete strong's. Zondervan

Mackie, T. & Sullivan, A (2017). King Saul & Self Deception. Bible Project. https://bibleproject.com/articles/saul-tale-self-deception/ 

Wiersbe, W.W. (2004). The Bible exposition commentary old testament: Wisdom and poetry: Job-Song of Solomon. Tyndale. 

Easter Sunday - 2025

The mission of Trinity City Church is bearing fruit, as we witnessed on Easter Sunday. Throughout the year, our kids and youth ministry gather together, often inviting in friends and neighbors, in order to grow in the Christian faith. At Easter, we celebrated the beautiful fruit of this ministry with seven baptisms of Trinity kids aged 9 to 13. Many of these young people also took the Lord's Supper for the first time. For most of the kids, this was a continuation of their growing faith within our church. For others, it marked a new experience of faith in Christ and life in the church. The largest Easter gathering in our history erupted in cheers and celebration with each baptism, a powerful reminder that the Lord Jesus continues to work powerfully through His church.

Holy Week at Trinity

As we approach Palm Sunday, we invite you to join us for a meaningful Holy Week as we reflect on the final days of Jesus' life, death, and glorious resurrection. We have several opportunities for our local church and neighbors to come together in worship and to explore the Christian faith.

Palm Sunday - Sunday, April 13th at 10am

At our 10am Sunday Gathering, Trinity Kids will be leading us in song during the service. It's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Jesus' triumphant entry as King into Jerusalem through the joyful voices of the next generation praising the Lord.

Maundy Thursday Potluck - Thursday, April 17th at 5:30 PM

Come together for a time of fellowship and remembrance as we share a potluck meal in the church building. This evening will be a time to reflect on Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples, enjoy fellowship around a meal, and take the Lord’s Supper together. Please sign up on Church Center.

Good Friday Tenebrae Service - Friday, April 18th at 7:30 PM

Our Good Friday service will be a Tenebrae service, a service of shadows, as we reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus. This powerful service helps us to contemplate the immense love that led Jesus to the cross.

Host a Neighborhood Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 19th

Celebrate this season of renewal by hosting an Easter egg hunt for those on your block. Invite your neighbors over to a backyard Easter egg hunt! If you’re interested in hosting, email Trinity staff for invitations and supplies.

Easter Sunday - Sunday, April 20th at 10:00 AM

Celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Our Easter Sunday service will include baptisms along with songs, the Lord’s Supper, and a sermon, which all point back to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We look forward to gathering together for Holy Week and celebrating the new life in Christ!

Various artists at Trinity created the three images above for a stations of the cross reflection at our Winter Retreat.

Andersens Commissioned to Payne EFC

Last Sunday at Trinity, we commissioned our Pastoral Resident, Jason Andersen, to his next calling. After two years of serving in our congregation, Jason, along with his wife Ami and their three wonderful children, have answered a call to serve at Payne EFC.

At Payne, Jason will step into the role of interim pastor, with the potential for this calling to become a permanent pastorate. This new chapter begins as Payne EFC bids farewell to their founding pastor, Larry, after an incredible forty years of faithful service. Jason is now working to revitalize the church and build upon Pastor Larry's enduring legacy.

For the past year, Ami has also blessed our Trinity family with her gifts as our Musician in Residence. We are so grateful for the ways both Jason and Ami have ministered to our congregation.

This new opportunity at Payne EFC is a significant step for the Andersen family, and we know they will be a tremendous blessing to their new church community. As they embark on this exciting endeavor, here are ways you can offer your support:

• Prayer: Please lift up Jason, Ami, and their family in prayer as they transition and begin this new ministry. Pray for wisdom, guidance, and strength for the entire congregation as they revitalize the church. Join the the prayer list here.

• Donations: If you feel led, consider supporting the Andersens financially as they establish themselves in this new role. Donate online here.

• Revitalization Team: Consider joining Payne EFC and the revitalization team. Email Jason for more information.

• Advocacy: Help spread the word about the exciting things happening at Payne EFC! If you know individuals or families in that area who might be looking for a church home, please encourage them to connect with Jason and the congregation there.

We are filled with gratitude for the time the Andersens have spent with us at Trinity, and we are excited to see all that God will do through them at Payne EFC. Let’s continue to keep them in our prayers and support them in any way we can as they serve in this new calling.

The Pastoral Epistles

This last Sunday we began a new sermon series on The Pastoral Epistles (1&2 Timothy, Titus) that will go until June of 2025. 

The Pastoral Epistles (i.e. “letters”) are some of the apostle Paul’s final words to his young apprentices in ministry, Timothy and Titus. Paul is on death row on account of preaching the gospel and starting churches in the Greco-Roman world–a high calling that is now being passed down in the context of a hostile host culture. Though we don’t face anywhere near the same level of persecution the apostles and first century Christians did, we are called to steward the health and vibrancy of the Church by the grace of God. Faced with intense criticism and internal threats, Paul urged Timothy and Titus to love this local church consistently, even during difficult times. We should do the same.

Paul spends a good amount of time telling Timothy and Titus about how the church should be governed in order to promote its flourishing. In this letter, Paul addresses various topics, including the qualifications of church leaders, the qualities of godly individuals, financial matters, and the church's relationship with the government. While these subjects may have diverse applications within the global Church, the common goal for all Christians is empowering the local church and her members to fulfill God’s purposes through the Holy Spirit.

Through this series, may the Holy Spirit minister to you as you grow in your love and knowledge of the gospel. May your hearts, minds, and souls be nurtured by sound doctrine. May you be spurred onto genuine Christian love and good works that benefit both saint and sinner. Most importantly, may the Pastoral Epistles deepen your relationship with the Triune God and equip you to accomplish His mission through the Church.

Series graphic designed by Jacob Drebelbis.

The Lukewarm (HVAC) Campaign

As many of you know, it can be an adventure gathering at the church building on either a cold winter or a hot summer day because there is no AC and the heat is not always reliable. Our building is often either really hot or really cold–never lukewarm. Although Jesus does not like our faith to be lukewarm (Rev. 3:15-16), it is our goal to make our church building lukewarm through this campaign. That is why we are calling it the Lukewarm HVAC Campaign! 

Like a vehicle that has well above 200,000 miles on it, our heating system needs constant and expensive repairs to keep it going, and we’ve been told the system could break down beyond repair at any time. After two years of due diligence, the Governance Board is recommending a full replacement of the system that covers the sanctuary and fellowship hall with a modern unit capable of handling both heating and air conditioning. The goal is to avoid a sudden catastrophic failure, eliminate the hefty repair bills we are currently paying, increase energy efficiency, and make our building more hospitable for all guests now and well into the future. The current estimate to install this project in summer 2025 puts the cost at $520,000. 

Our goal is to raise at least half of the projected cost, through pledges and donations ($260,000). We plan to finance the remainder of the project costs through a lender. Pledges would be payable over 3 years and represent a giving commitment above regular giving to the general budget. If we are able to raise $260,000 by January 26th, then we will be able to install the new HVAC in 2025!

So take a moment to pray. Pray for the Lord to provide for this campaign and to guide you in determining how much you can generously give. Then give “what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:6-7). Such cheerful and sacrificial giving flows from knowing “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor” (2 Cor. 8:9). Through God’s generous grace and Christ’s sacrifice, we are saved and respond to the gospel with generous lives.

The Lord's Prayer (A New Sermon Series)

Sermon Series Graphic

Artist: Tyson Phipps (Deacon of Creative Arts)

Have you ever desired a deeper connection to God through prayer, only to find yourself spinning your wheels spiritually? Despite the abundance of resources and apps about prayer at our fingertips, the practice of prayer can still be difficult. You’re certainly not alone in this struggle. In a world that constantly demands our attention, it’s easy to feel too overwhelmed and disconnected to pray. 

The good news is that Jesus answers the request, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). The Lord knows that we often pray in unhelpful ways (Matt. 6:5-8) and we often don’t know what to say, but our God is gracious to help (Romans 8:26). Jesus teaches us how to pray with the Lord’s Prayer. This prayer is more than just a single prayer to memorize. The Lord’s Prayer provides the framework for any prayer and invites us into God’s presence in a deep way. Each petition guides us to pour “out our hearts to God in praise, petition, confession of sin, and thanksgiving” (NCC Q38). This new sermon series, beginning this Sunday (11/17), we will learn how to pray with the Lord’s Prayer.  

Through this series, may the Holy Spirit minister to you as you grow in the practice of prayer. May your hearts, minds, and souls be given clarity and enthusiasm for prayer. And most importantly, may this lead you even closer into the presence of the triune God and draw you into His purposes for the world.

Series 

How (Not) to Pray (Matt. 6:5-15) | Nov. 17

Our Father (Romans 8:12-25) | Nov. 24

Hallowed Be Your Name (Psalm 145) | Dec. 1

Your Kingdom Come (Matt. 12:36-45 | Dec. 8

Daily Bread (Matt. 6:19-34) | Dec. 15

Forgive (Matt. 8:23-35) | Dec. 22

Temptation (Luke 4:1-15) | Dec. 29

Doxology (1 Chron. 29:10-13) | Jan. 5

Resources 

Craig L. Blomberg, Matthew: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture (B&H Publishing Group, 1992).

D. J. Marotta, Liturgy in the Wilderness: How the Lord’s Prayer Shapes the Imagination of the Church in a Secular Age (Moody Publishers, 2022).

J. I. Packer, Growing in Christ (Crossway, 2022).

Kevin DeYoung, The Lord’s Prayer: Learning from Jesus on What, Why, and How to Pray (Crossway, 2022).

N. T. Wright, The Lord and His Prayer (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2014).

Wesley Hill, The Lord’s Prayer: A Guide to Praying to Our Father (Lexham Press, 2019).

Getting Through the 2024 Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday, October 6th

This Sunday the runners in the Twin Cities Marathon will be going through our neighborhood via Summit Avenue. Our Sunday Gathering will still be at 10am. In general, if you're coming to the Sunday Gathering from north of Summit, then you'll have no problem getting to the church building. However, if you're coming from south of Summit, then you may have some of your typical routes blocked off.

Here is the route:

Here are the relevant notes about road closures:

Miles 15-21 - Shut down approximately 6:40 a.m. Reopened approximately: 12:00 p.m.

• Take nearest thru street to freeways

• Lake Street crosses the course without delays

Miles 21-26 - Shut down approximately 6:40 a.m. Reopened approximately: 2:30 p.m.

• Take Ayd Mill or Grand Avenue into downtown Saint Paul to go around State Capitol area

• Ford Parkway crosses the course without delays

• I-35E through Downtown Saint Paul is an alternate route around the course

The Church: God's Restful People in a Restless World

A new sermon series begins this fall that is called The Church: God’s Restful People in a Restless World.

As our late-modern culture becomes more secular, our world is facing many challenges. We as well as our neighbors are exhausted from trying to keep up with the ever accelerating pace of life. Any shared meaning and purpose with our neighbors has been reduced to individualistic identities that result easily in division and make unity increasingly difficult. Our neighbors are lonely and isolated and the next generation is deconstructing their faith. All of these things make each day burdensome as well as the future less hopeful.

While we may hear many ideas and plans to fix these challenges, the Scriptures make clear that God has one plan to renew all things: to bring life to the world through the Church. As the increasingly secular world continues restless striving, God is forming a restful people through Jesus Christ.

This series will look at a variety of challenges our culture is facing and how the Scriptures tell us that God's mission in the Church is the answer to these challenges. Along the way, we will study key doctrines of the church and see their application in our current moment.

In many ways, this sermon series builds off of the series and resources from last fall (Blessed: Delighting in the Good Life).

Series Overview

God’s Mission for the Life of the World - Sept. 8

Our world has many challenges but the Church is still God’s mission for the life of the world.

John 6:41-51

A Sanctuary for an Exhausted World - Sept. 15

Our world is exhausted but the Church is a refuge for the weary.

Psalm 63

God’s Fullness in an Empty World - Sept. 22

Our world is often empty but God’s Word and presence fills the Church.

Ephesians 1:15-23

A Unified Gathering in a Divided World - Sept. 29

Our world is torn apart because of competing identities but the Church is a diverse and global faith in one Lord.

John 17:20-26

An Inviting Fellowship in an Isolated World - Oct. 6

Our neighbors are isolated and more people are dechurched but the hospitality of the Church is able to invite people into the deepest fellowship.

Hebrews 13:1-10

A Household that Builds in a Deconstructing World - Oct. 13

Our world is deconstructing faith but the Church is building faith in the next generation.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

A Community of Servants in a Profiting World - Oct. 20

The world centers much of life on careers and getting ahead but the Church freely serves to bring life to the world.

Mark 10:35-45

A Committed Membership in a Uncommitted World - Oct. 27

Our world doesn’t like to commit due to skepticism of authority and a relativism of truth but the Church holds one another accountable in the gospel.

Galatians 6:1-10

Citizens of Heaven in a Polarized World - Nov. 3

Our world has divided people into left or right but the Church is one people who declare the politically loaded confession: “Jesus is Lord.”

Phillippians 3:17-21

A Hopeful People in a Cynical World - Nov. 10

Our world is more cynical than optimistic but the resurrection creates a hopeful people even in a hurting world.

1 Peter 1:3-13

Resources

Comer, John Mark. Future Church, (sermon series) 2021. Sermon series on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc.

Davis, Jim, Michael Graham, Ryan P. Burge, and Collin Hansen. The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? Zondervan, 2023.

Hansen, Collin, Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, John Starke, Carl Trueman, Bruce Riley Ashford, Mike Cosper, Bob Cutillo, Greg Forster, and Michael Horton. Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor. Gospel Coalition, The, 2017.

Keller, Timothy. Rise (sermon series), 2016. https://rise.redeemer.com/sermons/.

Root, Andrew. Ministry in a Secular Age Set. Baker Academic, 2021.

Rosa, Hartmut. “Two Versions of the Good Life & Two Forms of Fear | YCFC.” Accessed September 6, 2024. https://faith.yale.edu/media/two-versions-of-the-good-life-two-forms-of-fear.

Smith, James K. A. How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor. First Edition. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2014.

Trinity City Church. “Blessed: Delighting in the Good Life,” November 12, 2023. http://www.trinitycitychurch.org/messages/category/Blessed.

Watkin, Christopher. Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2022.

Series Graphic

Sermon Graphic

Designer: Tyson Phipps

The designer of this sermon graphic, Tyson Phipps (Deacon of Creative Arts), explains, “I was thinking about the restful nature of a tree and how it's shade provides respite from the heat and shelter from the storms. Also, the imagery very easily connects to the parable of the mustard seed, Christ as the vine and us as the branches, Psalm 1, etc.”

Summer Speaker: Steve Treichler

This coming week for the last Sunday of Bryan’s sabbatical, we get to hear from Steve Treichler (i.e. Trike). He is the founding and Senior Pastor of Hope Community Church. Born in Hibbing, Minnesota he came to the Twin Cities to go to the University of Minnesota. While a student at the U of M, Jesus Christ changed his life! After being involved with campus ministry as a student and then 5 years as a staff person, Steve decided to go into pastoral ministry/church planting and was the founding pastor of Hope Community Church in 1996. He is married to Carole, and has three children, David (and wife Brittany and two grandchildren), Jonathan, and Calvin (married to Kennedy). He also is the owner(?) of a mischievous dog, Dakota, the Wonder Beagle! At Hope, he spends most of his time teaching, helping new churches get started, mentoring and coaching the three Lead Pastors of Hope’s three locations. In his free time he enjoys playing cribbage with Carole, flyfishing, duck hunting, remodeling/woodworking, brewing fantastic beer, and hanging out with friends with a quality cigar.

Summer Speaker: Frank Lanier

Over the next two weeks, we’re looking forward to having Frank Lanier bring the word. Frank Lanier has served as the director of leadership development for the EFCA’s North Central District since April of 2023. He received his bachelor’s degree in World Religions at North Carolina State University and later graduated with a ThM degree in New Testament studies and Pastoral Ministries from Dallas Theological Seminary. Before joining the NCD, Frank served as both children’s pastor and pastor of adult ministries in local NCD churches. Frank has been married to Dottie since 2003 and they have 6 beautiful children who help ensure there is never a dull moment at the Lanier household. 

Summer Speaker: Terry Francis

Terry Francis was born in Houston, Texas. He attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas earning a degree in Christian Ministries, and was ordained in 1990. He’s lived in Minnesota since 1998 with his wife Roxanne (married 30 years) and their four now adult children. Terry has worked at Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge as the Men’s Program Director for over 20 years; he has seen thousands of men commit their lives to the Lord. He also serves on the boards of Glorybound Family Restoration Ministries and Crossroads Chapel. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, preaching, and sharing his story with others.

Summer Speaker: Trent Senske

Over the next three weeks, we’re looking forward to having Trent Senske finish our sermon series on Genesis. Trent was commissioned in 2018 by Trinity City Church to plant Immanuel Fellowship. He spent the past 7 years planting and pastoring the church in South Minneapolis.

Trent and Laura are high school sweethearts who have been married for 13 years. They have five kids (Audrey, Eva, Isaiah, Jude, and baby Ivy). The whole family is fresh off a much needed pastoral sabbatical. 

New Associate Pastor: Bryce Langley

We’re excited to announce that Bryce Langley will be joining Trinity City Church as our new Associate Pastor starting August 1st!

Pastor Bryce brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for ministering in the local church. He thrives on fostering strong relationships, developing and supporting volunteers in ministry, and counseling so that the whole person is restored and resilient. He will be transitioning from his role as the Associate Pastor at Crown Point Christian Reformed Church (Crown Point, Indiana). He has also served as a Pastoral Resident at Antioch Community Church (Minneapolis) and as director of a counseling ministry at Pleasant Valley Church (Winona).

Bryce's educational foundation includes a Master of Theological Studies with an emphasis on Marriage & Family Therapy from Bethel Seminary, where he also won first place in the Edwin J. Omark Preaching Competition. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Psychology from Winona State University.

Bryce's dedication to Christian formation is evident in his experience overseeing and developing adult ministries, supervising new member integration, and both leading and teaching church-based training. He also demonstrates his commitment to community engagement through his involvement in school mentoring programs and serving as an EMS chaplain. His dedication and skills in connecting people, launching and directing ministries, and providing pastoral care shows he is ready to contribute meaningfully to our mission at Trinity City Church starting on August 1st!

Lead Pastor Sabbatical

Pastor Bryan will be taking a planned every-five-year sabbatical from April 29th to July 28th. Sabbaticals are a time to refresh, rejuvenate, and gain knowledge or experience that requires an extended period. Different guest preachers, along with Trinity elders, will cover sermons during the sabbatical. We will be posting introductions to each guest preacher on this journal throughout the sabbatical.

The sabbatical includes intentional focus on different areas of health (e.g. physical health, spiritual health, relational health, family health, professional health, etc.). Some specific examples include Pastor Bryan gathering with different local churches each Sunday, extended and intentional time with family, and a trip to Switzerland through the North Central District (NCD) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS). 

This trip takes place in June and includes 10 EFCA pastors, a TEDS church history professor, and a ReachGlobal medical officer. Together, they will travel to the Alps to explore pastoral ministry against the backdrop of Calvin's Geneva and delve into pastoral practice while hiking the historic Tour Du Mont Blanc. Meaningful discussions and thoughtful reflections will focus on important areas of pastoral ministry, including: leading by example, administration, counseling, preaching, physical health, developing elders and deacons, congregational worship, prayer, evangelism, discipline and restoration, calling, equipping believers, and personal discipleship. Pastor Bryan's specific focus will be on personal discipleship, particularly pastoral and congregational health in a unhealthy secular age. Following the trip, there will be a series of follow-up articles, along with a documentary produced by TEDS.

Please keep Pastor Bryan in your prayers during his sabbatical season!

2024 Holy Week

A baptism from Easter 2023.

Holy Week is here! Join us this week for a Good Friday service, a community egg hunt, and finally celebrating Easter with baptisms (10am service).

What is the meaning and significance of this time in the church calendar? Let's consider some of the explanations from The Worship Sourcebook (the rest of the post quotes The Worship Sourcebook under each heading).

The Season of Lent

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are at the heart of the Christian gospel, and Good Friday and Easter are two of the most significant celebrations of the Christian year. Lent is a season of preparation and repentance during which we anticipate Good Friday and Easter. Just as we carefully prepare for big events in our personal lives, such as a wedding or commencement, Lent invites us to make our hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ passion and celebrating Jesus’ resurrection.

The practice of a forty-day preparation period began in the Christian church during the third and fourth centuries. The number forty carries biblical significance based on the forty years Israel spent in the wilderness and Jesus’ forty-day fast in the wilderness. The forty days of Lent begin on Ash Wednesday and continue through holy week, not counting Sundays (which are reserved for celebratory worship). In practice, many congregations choose to focus Sunday worship on the themes of repentance and renewal. As a period of preparation, Lent has historically included the instruction of persons for baptism and profession of faith on Easter Sunday; the calling back of those who have become estranged from the church; and efforts by all Christians to deepen their piety, devotion, and readiness to mark the death and resurrection of their Savior. As such, the primary focus of the season is to explore and deepen a “baptismal spirituality” that centers on our union with Christ rather than to function only as an extended meditation on Christ’s suffering and death.

Palm Sunday

The events framed by Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his resurrection are some of the most dramatic and theologically important of the entire scriptural narrative. These days feature not only the drama of the triumphal entry, trial, last supper, and crucifixion but also poignant prayers and prophetic teachings of our Lord. John’s gospel devotes eight of its twenty-one chapters to this week alone! The week begins with Passion/Palm Sunday and ends with the “three days” (also called the Triduum, from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Easter Day), the period during which we mark Jesus’ trial, death, and resurrection.

The first Sunday of Holy Week is commonly called either “Palm Sunday” or “Passion Sunday.” Those who call it “Palm Sunday” tend to focus on the entry of Christ into Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9). Those who refer to the day as “Passion Sunday” tend to focus on Jesus’ suffering. This is especially appropriate in contexts in which participation in midweek services on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday is difficult or minimal, and, as a result, worshipers would sing “Hosanna” on one Sunday and “Christ arose” on the next, with little attention to Jesus’ suffering and death in between.

But even for congregations that celebrate the day as Palm Sunday, it’s important to capture the irony of the day. This is the day on which Jesus entered the city in triumph, but as a part of his journey to the cross; this is the week in which crowd’s cries of “Hosanna” would soon turn to “Crucify him!” One helpful approach to Palm Sunday worship is to begin by focusing on the procession into Jerusalem and then to concentrate on the suffering and passion of Jesus.

Maundy Thursday

On Maundy Thursday the church remembers the last evening Jesus shared with his disciples in the upper room before his arrest and crucifixion. Maundy Thursday marks three key events in Jesus’ last week: his washing of his disciples’ feet, his institution of the Lord’s Supper, and his new commandment to love one another.

The name “Maundy Thursday” comes from the Latin mandatum novum, referring to the “new commandment” Jesus taught his disciples (John 13:34). In other words, this is “new commandment Thursday.” Maundy Thursday worship naturally features the Lord’s Supper and, in some traditions, an act of foot washing or another sign of mutual love and dedication.

Celebrations of the Lord’s Supper can call attention to the many theologically rich dimensions of the Last Supper itself, including its attention to communal love and its clear eschatological orientation (its focus on hopeful anticipation of the coming kingdom).

Good Friday and Easter

Good Friday marks the death of Jesus Christ. It’s called “good” because of what Jesus’ death means for the redemption of the world. Worship on this day may focus on three aims: (1) to narrate and remember the events of Jesus’ death, (2) to open up the meaning of these events for our understanding of God and the redemption accomplished by the cross, and (3) to invite worshipers to renewed prayer and dedication.

All the hopes and expectations of Christians are realized in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, making Easter the most celebrative day of the church year.

Gathering with Northside Neighborhood Church

Northside Neighborhood Church

This past Sunday, Ami and I (Jason) had the opportunity to visit and serve a church plant that Trinity has partnered with in North Minneapolis: Northside Neighborhood Church. Northside was planted by Patrick Ray a few years ago with the hope of being a healthy church in North Minneapolis.

It might be important to ask, ‘What are signs that things are going well?’ The answer we are looking for isn’t always the right answer. Historically, church plants are measured by ‘budgets, butts in seats, and baptisms.’ These things don't necessarily mean that things are going well, however. True signs are harder to spot, but there were many wonderful things we got to experience in our short time. The first is that we saw a congregation growing to know itself as a church. Members were showing concern for other members, asking about their week, their struggles. A new member was added to the congregation, and the church together confessed its membership covenant. Another sign of growth is that the congregation is working at recognizing and raising up leaders. Soon, they will add an additional lay elder to help lead the congregation.

Finally, the structure of the service and the sermon event itself was a wise catechism in what it looks like to be a healthy church. Patrick spoke of the importance of the church being a city of peace, a healthy society so that the congregation outlives each and every member. Northside Neighborhood Church is seeking to pursue healthy leadership, true and simple gospel neighboring, and loving the whole body of Christ.

Continue to pray for this young congregation on the Northside. Pray for its leaders, Patrick, Andrew, and Brian. Pray for the church’s ministry in North Minneapolis that it would be an enduring witness to the saving power of Christ to a dying world.

Advent & Christmas 2023

Christmas Eve Service at Trinity City Church in 2022.

In the church calendar, the season of Advent begins on Sunday, December 3rd and ends on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24th). The season of Christmas begins on December 25th and lasts until January 5. This year, Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday. Trinity City Church will not have a morning service on Christmas Eve (no 10am gathering) but we will be gathering for a Christmas Eve service at 5pm.

In order to help us prepare for this season, here are descriptions of each season and a new series of resources from The Fullness of Time Series.

Advent

Here is how The Worship Sourcebook describes the season of Advent:

The great proclamation “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14) assures us that God has entered into human history through the incarnation of the Son. The season of Advent, a season of waiting, is designed to cultivate our awareness of God’s actions—past, present, and future. In Advent we hear the prophecies of the Messiah’s coming as addressed to us—people who wait for the second coming. In Advent we heighten our anticipation for the ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament promises, when the wolf will lie down with the lamb, death will be swallowed up, and every tear will be wiped away. In this way Advent highlights for us the larger story of God’s redemptive plan.

A deliberate tension must be built into our practice of the Advent season. Christ has come, and yet not all things have reached completion. While we remember Israel’s waiting and hoping and we give thanks for Christ’s birth, we also anticipate his second coming at the end of time. For this reason Advent began as a penitential season, a time for discipline and intentional repentance in the confident expectation and hope of Christ’s coming again.

Christmas

In addition, The Worship Handbook on the meaning Christmas:

At Christmas, we remember and celebrate the nativity of Christ and the mystery of the incarnation. Whereas during Advent we anticipate the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah, at Christmas we identify with the angels who proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest”; with the shepherds, who were afraid but nevertheless offered worship; and with Mary, who pondered the meaning of these events in her heart (Luke 2:13-20) [...]

The Christmas season extends from December 25 through January 5 and includes at least one and usually two Sundays. Celebrating Christmas as a season helps us both to enter into the meaning of the incarnation more fully than celebrating a single day and to focus on additional Scripture texts that explore the meaning of Christmas beyond the familiar words of Luke 2.

Though North American culture considers Christmas the most important day of the Christian year, we must be careful to see the significance of Christmas in the light of all that follows, particularly Easter. In fact, Christmas is the first in a series of celebrations (Christmas, Epiphany, the baptism of our Lord, and the transfiguration of Jesus) that affirm the identity of Jesus as not only fully human but also fully divine. If the intervening weeks between these celebrations focus on the remarkable content of Jesus’ teaching and the relationships he established with his disciples, these four events anchor the church’s reflection on the meaning of Jesus’ life for our understanding of God and of the coming kingdom. Together, these celebrations prepare us for the journey toward the cross and the empty tomb.

Advent & Christmas books

The church calendar is a way for Christians to remember the gospel story each year. “The Fullness of Time series invites readers to explore the riches of the church year, guided by some of our finest church theologians. Each volume introduces the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of a season of the church—not as an academic exercise, but as an reflections on the theological and spiritual treasures of the church calendar” (from the publisher). To prepare for this season, consider the books that cover Advent and Christmas.

Source: ivpress.com

Source: ivpress.com

May this season of Advent and Christmas bring you closer to the Lord through a time of anticipation and celebration.

Genesis Sermon Series

As we begin a new sermon series on the book of Genesis this Sunday, here are some video overviews, resources, and the series graphic to get you ready.

Overview

Watch this great two-part overview of Genesis from The Bible Project.

Bibliography

Here are some of the main commentaries and books that are influencing this series:

James Montgomery Boice, Genesis (Baker Books, 2006)

Andrew Louth, ed., Genesis, (2 Vols), First Edition (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2001)

John L. Thompson, ed., Genesis 1-11, First edition (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012)

Gordon J. Wenham, Rethinking Genesis 1–11: Gateway to the Bible (Cascade Books, an Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2015); and Genesis, (2 vols), Word Biblical Commentary (Zondervan Academic, 2017).

Dr Nahum M. Sarna, The JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis, First Edition (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2001)

Kenneth Mathews, The New American Commentary: Genesis, (2 vols), (Nashville, Tenn: Holman Referenc.e, 1996).

Series Graphic

Sermon Graphic

Designer: Tyson Phipps